Endowment Campaign and Beyond

Encouraged by the initial success of Vision of Hope, the Advisory Board undertook an endowment campaign with an initial goal of $8 million. Although this goal was reached in 2005, there is still great need in our schools for tuition assistance, and we continue to work to increase the Endowment. For the 2007-2008 school year, each school received $52,000 from the Endowment. Our hope is to increase these grants to $100,000 per school. Vision of Hope’s Advisory Board is now giving leadership to a Planned Giving Campaign in conjunction with that of the Dominican Sisters’ Congregation. Planned and deferred gifts will keep the endowment growing and assist more families to provide a Dominican education for their children and will

• provide an annual income of $50,000 to $100,000 for each school to help meet tuition assistance needs

• increase enrollment to meet the needs of the communities

• assure safe, educationally sound environments in each school and

• keep dreams alive!

In 1995, the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose established Vision of Hope to perpetuate ongoing financial support for eight inner-city schools in East Los Angeles, South Central Los Angeles, Oakland and in San Francisco’s Mission District. The mission of Vision of Hope is to ensure the quality, affordability and vibrant future of these inner-city schools, the children and the communities they serve.

Since its inception, Vision of Hope has

• formed a statewide Advisory Board to provide leadership, insight and guidance

• funded and staffed three regional development offices

• generated broad-based community support from foundations, friends, community leaders, alumni, parents and teachers

• networked with social service resources

• helped the regional development directors raise over $5 million to provide tuition assistance, to ease the problems of deferred maintenance and emergencies and to develop fine arts, science and technology programs

• revitalized the spirit of hope and community within the Vision of Hope schools.

Vision of Hope has raised more than $5 million to provide tuition assistance and develop programs in fine arts, science and technology. Students at St. Michael's Elementary School (above) use a "Smart Board" obtained through Vision of Hope funds